


I’m Right Here

by cmfan3



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, Chocolate Thunder, F/F, Hotch is too serious, Lesbian Emily Prentiss, Papa Rossi, Penelope is so bubbly sometimes, Reid fr knows too much, The season 7 cast is elite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:26:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27158585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmfan3/pseuds/cmfan3
Summary: The team gets a case in Oklahoma where the lives of two children are at stake. Will the team find them in time and will secret feelings become not-so secret anymore?
Relationships: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 8
Kudos: 68





	1. Don’t Leave Me

“Wheels up in twenty,” Hotch’s voice rang out.

Rossi and Derek were sitting next to each other, both observing the photos of the victims and how they all died. Across from them sat Emily and JJ, the two were discussing the details of the case and possible ideas of how the unsub acquired the victims. Sitting on the couch at the end of the table across the aisle were Spencer and Hotch. Spencer began rattling off facts that seemed relevant to the case, Hotch managing to listen to the young doctor as he looked into his file.

As the jet took off towards Oklahoma, Penelope popped up onto the computer screen. Derek picked up his file before leaning back into his seat, “whatchu got baby girl?” “There’s been another abduction,” Penelope informed the team. Everyone’s head snapped up, focusing on the tech analyst on the screen. She hesitated before she continued a grimace on her face, “two children have been taken this time,” their pictures popped up on the screen, “the boy’s name was Billy and he was nine. The little girl was named Candace and she was only seven.” Reid called out, “two? A child usually only has twenty-four hours before they’re killed in an abduction. That said, with the fact that two children were abducted at the same time, their time isn’t guaranteed so we shouldn’t base anything off of that twenty-four hour time frame.”

As the news settled in, JJ leaned towards the computer and took a closer look at the photos, her eyebrows knitting together in thought when a gasp slipped past her lips. Emily turned towards the blonde, an eyebrow lifted with confusion. The brunette tilted her head slightly, concern etching into her features, silently questioning what was wrong as she squeezed JJ’s hand softly. JJ turned towards the team, recognition dawning on her face, “they’re siblings.” Garcia sighed, “sweet cheeks is right. The two were taken when they were in daycare. Their mom went to pick them up and became frantic when she couldn’t find them. The teacher told her that their father came and picked them up.” Derek’s forehead furrowed, “so why do we think this is connected to the case?” “Because chocolate thunder, their father’s been dead for about four years. Car crash. The mother hasn’t remarried and she hasn’t been seeing anyone since the incident either.”

Rossi leaned back into his seat, his hands clasped together over his lap, “so the unsub has to be stalking the victims. We also know that it’s a male because the teacher said her husband picked them up. Because the kids are caucasion, the unsub is most likely caucasion.” “Mid-thirties to mid-forties based on the mother’s age as well as the children. He has to be physically fit to be able to subdue them,” Hotch added. Reid opened his file and began shifting through the contents as he spoke, “he’s also attractive because studies show that a woman’s guard drops when speaking to a more attractive male rather than not and since the teacher trusted the man with little or no hesitation, he would be more attractive than the average man.” “I’ll start searching crime fighters, I’ll hit you back when I have more. Garcia, over and out,” Penelope replied before cutting the line.

Hotch closed his file as he stood up and looked over at his team, “Prentiss and Jareau, I want you two to talk to the mother and the victim’s families. Find out everything you can about the children and see if they connect. David and Morgan, the two of you head down to the crime scenes. See if we missed anything. Reid, you and I are heading down to the precinct. Get started on a geographical profile while I get everything set up. We have to hit the ground running, there’s no time to waste. Every second is essential.”

As the team broke apart to do their own thing while they waited to arrive, Emily turned towards the blonde who was staring out the window next to her, seemingly in her own world because the electric blue eyes that the brunette has always loved were staring out into nothing. She rested her palm against JJ’s knee, squeezing it softly before whispering, “you okay Jayje?” The younger woman turned towards the brunette, smiling gratefully at the concern as she placed her own hand over Emily’s, intertwining their fingers before moving them to rest on her lap, “yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

Emily’s heart fluttered at the action, a flush starting to creep up her neck. The older woman cleared her now dry throat slightly before speaking up, “you should get some sleep before we get there. Once we land we won’t have time to rest.” In response, JJ laid back and rested her head on Emily's shoulder, their hands still intertwined in the blonde’s lap. As she closed her eyes, JJ replied, “you should get some sleep too Em. We’re both gonna need it.”

The brunette nodded slightly, unable to say anything because her stomach has turned into mush at this point. She turned her head and placed a light kiss against the top of the younger woman’s head, causing JJ to let out a hum of content at the extra contact. As the younger woman nodded off, Emily leaned her head against JJ’s focusing on the way the blonde’s hand fit perfectly within her own, almost like they were made for each other. Both women let their exhaustion take over them, not wanting to ruin the perfect moment they created.

JJ turned back and handed a cup of coffee to the brunette as she took a seat beside her in an office at the precinct. The blonde blew lightly on the liquid and took a tentative sip of her steaming cup in hopes of not burning her tongue. Emily watched on with amusement, a smile tugging at her lips. Noticing that Emily was laughing at her, JJ bumped the older woman’s shoulder with her own, smirking as she saw the dark liquid slosh against the side of the cup, a few drops flying out. Emily grunted when she realized what the younger woman had done. She turned towards JJ, mischief flashing in her eyes, a smile ghosting her lips, but before she was able to retaliate, the mother of the two missing children rushed in. The two agents instantly became somber, turning towards the frantic mother, giving her their full attention.

Emily placed her cup down on the table before leaning forward and clasping her hands together, “can you tell us what happened Mrs. Mills?” “Please, call me Rebecca,” the woman requested. She ran her hands through her dirty blonde hair before letting out a shaky breath, “it was like any other day. I finished working at the office and I was heading over to the school to pick up my kids. When I got there, their teacher, Mrs. Smith, told me that their father picked them up. I started panicking because they lost their father four years ago and I remembered the news talking about kids nearby being abducted and murdered.” As she was recounting the story, tears travelled down her cheeks and the despair in her voice became more prominent. Rebecca’s head dropped so her chin was now resting against her chest as her tears splashed against the floor.

JJ leaned forward and grasped the mother’s hands, tilting her head in empathy as she spoke, “Mrs. M- Rebecca, is it ok if we try something with you? It’s called a cognitive interview and it might help you remember more. Everything helps, no matter how insignificant you might think it is.” Rebecca looked up at the agents, hesitating slightly before nodding, “anything to help me get my babies back.”

JJ spared a glance at the brunette next to her before turning to the other woman, speaking softly, “ok, I need you to close your eyes for me. Tell me, what did you hear as you were driving up to the school?” Mrs. Mills shut her eyes hesitantly and thought about it a moment before answering, “in the beginning, the only thing I heard was the radio playing, but as I got closer to the school, I heard the usual. Kids were screaming, some were laughing. Teachers were directing students and parents, and a couple parents were yelling at their kids.”

JJ continued, “that’s great, you’re doing great. What did you smell as you got out of the car?” Rebecca took a deep breath before sighing, “gasoline. I always smell it when I get out of my car and go to the office, it smells like there was a gas spill or something. The parking lot reeks of it all the time, I’m not entirely sure why though, but as I was walking up, the odor of gasoline faded away and I started to smell freshly cut grass. I looked down at the floor as I was walking and noticed that they cut the grass today, there’s pieces of it everywhere. The kids were getting it all over their shoes and pants. Most of the kids were actually playing with it, getting it on their hands and throwing it at each other like snow.”

Emily took a tentative sip of coffee before questioning, “Did you see anything else? Anything out of the ordinary?” The mother’s brow furrowed, her eyes squeezing together tightly, “no. I was too busy trying to find my kids, I wasn’t paying attention.” JJ squeezed her hands softly, “focus Rebecca. You probably did but didn’t realize it at the time.” Mrs. Mills was silent for a moment before a gasp escaped, “there was a woman. I’m pretty sure she kept staring at me. I didn’t think anything of it because some parents do it all the time, but I remember that I haven’t seen her at the school before.” The agents glanced at each other, confusion and concern overtaking their features.

Emily turned back towards the mother, scooting forward so she was on the edge of her seat. She rested her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward, “a woman? Are you positive?” Rebecca slightly nodded, “yes it was a woman. She seemed to be a bit on the younger side, but I was too far away to tell. She was in a truck, white I think. The windows were tinted, the only reason I saw her was because her window was open. I think she had brown hair, or it could have been black. I’m not sure.” The mother’s shoulders sagged in discouragement before she opened her eyes, tears brewing just under the surface, and looked at the agents, “I’m sorry I couldn’t remember more.” She rubbed her knuckles against her eyes in frustration, her voice cracking with every word, “please, find my babies. They’re everything to me.”

JJ faintly smiled at the woman, reaching out and rubbing her arm comfortingly, “you’ve helped us a lot more than you realize, thank you Rebecca. We’ll keep you updated and I promise that we won’t rest until we find them.” Rebecca smiled thankfully at the two agents before standing and walking out of the door.

Emily turned towards the blonde next to her, running a hand down her face in exhaustion, “a woman Jayje. That means we’re looking for a pair. Either romantically involved or family related.” JJ reached over and squeezed the brunette’s knee tenderly, “we’ll get them Em. Let’s go see what the rest of the team found out.” The brunette placed her hand over the younger woman’s and squeezed it softly, her face breaking out into a lopsided grin when she felt a spark from the contact.

Emily glanced up at the blonde and was shocked to see that JJ’s eyes were sparking with affection as they gazed down at their hands. JJ bashfully made eye contact with the older woman causing her cheeks to redden. The two stood up and began walking towards the main office, their hands no longer touching but were close enough that the heat radiating off the other was felt by each woman.

Morgan and David drove up to the latest crime scene, the gravel crunching under the tires as the SUV came to a halt. David climbed out of the passenger seat as Morgan jumped out of the driver’s side. As the agents walked towards the scene, the sound of their footsteps was emphasized through the sound of the gravel underneath their feet. Morgan looked around before turning towards the older agent, “Rossi, you do realize that we’re next to a body of water. Every crime scene was near a body of water.” David shrugged his shoulders slightly, unsurprised, “yeah, well boy wonder mentioned that Oklahoma did have the largest number of man-made lakes due to dams. I think the kid said it was about two-hundred.”

Morgan let out a chuckle before continuing, “it was pretty hard for us to get over here so the unsub would need a truck or some type of car for rough terrain.” David glanced at the distance between the car and the place where the victim’s body was found, “we already said that he would need to be physically fit and this just proves it because he has to be able to carry those kids that far of a distance without straining himself. Not to mention, he probably didn’t count on having the bodies found so soon, it’s pretty isolated over here.”

The sound of a car driving up pulled the agents from their thoughts. They turned towards the path to see a cop car park next to their SUV. The lead detective stood out of the car, making his way towards the two men, a file in his hand. “Detective,” Derek nodded at the man. The detective tipped his hat in return, “agents.” He handed the file to David as he spoke, “I’m not sure how much you already know, but all the kids were found face down and they were covered in what seemed like it was different pieces of the same blanket.” Morgan turned towards Rossi, his eyebrows raising in question, “remorse?” The older agent simply nodded, focusing his attention on the detective once again, realizing that there was more.

“I looked over the autopsy report, that’s what you have there in your hand agent,” the detective pointed to the file in Rossi’s hands, “and it says that the victims died from asphyxiation. They all had water in their lungs.” David opened the file and shuffled through its contents as Derek looked over at the lake. The older agent suddenly looked up at the detective after coming across a page, “are you sure that this is correct detective? They weren’t missing any nutrients?” The detective nodded solemnly as he sighed, “other than the fact that the kids were dead, each one was as healthy as an ox.”

Derek turned back towards the men, crossing his arms as his eyes raked over the crime scene once more, “the reason each body was next to a body of water was probably because they were killed in it. But why not leave them in it? Why make it harder for yourself by pulling them out? Wouldn’t it be easier to just leave them in there?” Rossi became silent for a moment, visibly thinking over every piece of information before lighting up, “there are two unsubs.” Morgan looked at the older agent in disbelief and scoffed, “come on man, you’re kidding me.” Rossi shook his head slightly, using his hands to gesture to everything, “think about it Derek. One cares for the children, that’s why they’re healthy, but the other one kills them. The one who cares for the kids is the one who covers them after they die. That’s why they’re pulled out, because of the second unsub. It also explains how they’re able to subdue and control the children without much of an issue.”

Morgan shook his head in disbelief, “you’re right.” Rossi chuckled as he patted the younger man’s shoulder, “when am I not?” The detective sagged with exhaustion after hearing the agents’ thoughts, “you’re telling me we have to find two of these sons of bitches? Isn’t one enough?” Derek sighed, “none is more than enough, but we’ll find them detective.” The man held out his hand, “I sure hope so. You have my team at your disposal.” The two agents shook the detective’s hand in gratitude before turning back to their SUV so they could head back to the precinct and update their team on their new findings. 

The team was gathered around the table. Emily was sitting in a chair looking at a file while JJ was perched on the edge of the table next to the brunette, looking at the file that the older woman had in her hands. Morgan was sitting on the opposing side of Emily, staring up at the evidence on the board while Hotch was standing in front of the board, examining each picture. Rossi was sitting on the other side of the table, looking over the information about each victim and their autopsy reports. Spencer was in his own world up by the geographical profile he created earlier, attempting to refine and update it with all the new information.

Morgan’s phone started ringing so he answered it and turned on the speaker so the team could hear, “hey girl. You’re on speaker. Behave.” Penelope’s voice rang out, “or what, you’ll spank me?” Hotch turned abruptly, his eyes narrowing when he stared at the phone as Morgan let out a chuckle. “Oh. I see what you me- Well ladies and gents, I was able to compile a list of men and women and let me just say, it’s a whopper. You definitely need to cut that down or give me some more information so I could do it. Some are romantically involved and others are related through family. I included all their information and the ways they’re connected. Everything’s being sent to your phones now,” the tech analyst concluded. Hotch turned back to the evidence board after he called out, “good work Garcia. We’ll call you if we need more.” “Stay safe my fine furry friends and find those kids,” Penelope chirped.

Reid looked at the worn out clock that was hanging against the wall from his seat on the table, watching as the second hand ticked by, the sound seeming to taunt him, getting louder each second. He turned back towards the list in his hand, the stack of names and information staring back at him. Rossi was watching the young agent, noticing the way Spencer’s eyes flashed across each page, not taking longer than a span of three seconds for each. The older man turned back towards the evidence board, paying particular attention to the pictures of the children in an attempt to see a greater resemblance between them.

Reid was flipping through the pages, hoping for some sort of break in the case because two children’s lives were depending on it. As he finished a particular page, he let it slip from his fingers before frantically flipping back to it, his eyes darting around the information again before settling on the two pictures. He practically jumped out of his seat and rushed towards Rossi, pointing at the pictures and speaking at a thousand words a minute, “I think I found them. A married couple. They visited the hospital just before the abductions started. If it’s for what I think it is, they’re our unsubs.” Rossi examined the two pictures, taking note of the woman’s brown hair and obsidian eyes and the man’s nearly white hair and striking blue eyes.

Reid pulled out his phone and dialed Penelope. It didn’t even complete a ring before he heard, “your friendly neighborhood Oracle of all things knowable and unknowable at your service.” Reid glanced down at the paper, “I need you to look into two suspects. They got married a year ago and it says that they had a hospital visit a week before the abductions started. Emma and Jaxon Garrett.”

Penelope clicked her tongue as the clacking of the keys was heard over the phone before the tech analyst let out a gasp, “you did it again boy wonder. The two visited a hospital because it seems as if Emma had a miscarriage. Before that though, it seems as if the two splurged on baby items. I mean, who wouldn’t? I’m gonna spoil every kid this team-” Rossi chuckled, “Penelope?” “Oh right, right,” Penelope continued, “the abductions started a week after the incident. I’m searching for an address right now.” The two were staring at the phone, waiting for more information as typing was heard. Suddenly, Penelope exclaimed, “aha! It’s being sent to your phones now. Go save those kids crime fighters.”

Hotch rushed into the room followed by the rest of the team after finishing debriefing the police about the profile. He turned towards both men, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he held up his phone, showing them the text from the tech analyst. Reid reached out and handed him the file about the two suspects, watching as his reaction changed from one of confusion to one of understanding.

Hotch turned towards the team, setting the file down on the table as he spoke, “if this is what we think it is, there’s no time to waste. Let’s move.” The team split into groups of three, each taking an SUV. David, Hotch, and Derek rushed to the property in one as JJ, Emily, and Spencer used the other. Hotch and Emily raced towards the house, praying that they weren’t too late.

“It took us roughly twenty-three minutes and forty-eight seconds to get here when it should’ve taken us at least twenty-nine,” Spencer blurted out as they parked the cars and rushed towards the house. Derek laughed lightly before he turned his attention towards the house and jiggled the doorknob, not surprised to find out that it was locked. He braced himself and kicked it open then turned towards the younger agent, “come on pretty boy, let’s find the kids.” Derek and Spencer walked into the house while JJ and Emily walked around the eastern side, searching for some kind of sign and Hotch and Rossi cleared the western side.

Derek walked into the living room, lowering his hands in shock when he laid his eyes upon the broken and dirty wooden table that was sitting in the middle of the cramped living room. He took a tentative step closer and looked down at the stacks upon stacks of pictures of the kids who went missing, pictures that seem to be taken in this very house. The pictures were partially covered with baby clothes and toys. Disgust and anger brewed in the pit of his stomach at the fact that people can abduct and murder children without a blink of an eye.

Spencer calling out, “clear,” from the kitchen shook him back to reality, causing him to lift his gun and resume clearing the house. The two searched the entire property but didn’t find the kids. They did find the room in which the kids were staying in but nothing pointed to the fact that anyone lived there anymore. They rushed back outside to meet with their team, the two turning towards the eastern side of the house, searching for the women, hoping for some type of update about the kids.

Hotch and David were searching the western side which consisted of the garage and the small field of wheat. David was searching the garage when something caught his eye. Movement. He carefully turned to the white and worn out truck that was sitting in the corner, stretching his neck to see more. A head creeped out from behind the dashboard, the raven black eyes glancing from side to side, not noticing the agent who was staring at her from behind a workbench.

David turned towards Hotch and slightly nodded his head towards the truck before cautiously making his way to the driver side, far enough that the woman didn’t notice him while Hotch moved to cover the passenger side. After surrounding the woman, David took a step forward, raising his gun to aim at her as he called out, “you’re surrounded. Step out of the vehicle with your hands in the air. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” She frantically looked around, fear gripping her features as she noticed the two agents. She hugged herself, crying out, “he said he’ll be here. He said he’s grabbing the kids and coming. I didn’t know he was killing them at first, but after he started, he couldn’t stop. We just wanted a child. These two are perfect. Please, just let us go.”

Hotch took a step forward, opening the door of the unlocked truck as David did the same on his side, “he’s not coming back for you. He sent you to the place where he knew we would be looking and didn’t follow you. Why didn’t he tell you to go with him? There are two kids, he can’t control them himself.” The woman’s shoulders drooped in betrayal as she realized that he was right, her husband wasn’t coming back for her. She moved towards David, stepping out of the car with her hands held above her head, wincing as he grabbed them and cuffed her. He then led her outside, pushing her towards the SUVs.

David questioned, “where are the kids? Where’s your husband?” The woman simply turned towards the eastern side of the house and pointed to the distance where the faint outline of a building was seen. The older agent turned towards Hotch, concern prominent on his face with the way his eyebrows were scrunching together, “JJ and Emily went that way.”

JJ and Emily were walking side by side, both guns drawn and their eyes focusing onto the barn in the darkness. The two ventured towards the entrance, their guns held out in front of them as they made their way inside. There was a faint glow from a few lightbulbs that were suspended from a wire, but their eyes still needed time to adjust to the dimness. After a couple seconds, the two were able to see how the inside of the barn wasn’t any better than the outside. There wasn’t anything significant inside. There were a couple bales of hay, two thick wooden support beams and worn out machinery in the corner. Everything seemed to be covered in dust.

As JJ’s crystal blue eyes scanned the inside, they settled on two small silhouettes in the corner, causing her to lower her weapon and call out, “Billy? Candace? We’re here to help. Can you come out please?” After a moment’s hesitation, the two children stepped out of the corner and ran towards the blonde. Emily watched as the younger woman crouched down next to the two kids, pulling them both into a motherly embrace before pulling away and checking them for injuries.

A faint sound of shoes scraping the floor caused the brunette to perk up and turn her eyes towards the wooden pillars. Her stomach dropped and everything seemed to play out in slow motion as she saw the male unsub slide out from behind a pillar, aiming a gun at JJ, who was too engrossed with the children to notice what was happening. Realizing that he was going to shoot, Emily made a split second decision and jumped in front of the blonde in hopes of protecting her and the children, no matter the cost.

She aimed her gun at Jaxon, calling out to JJ as she fired off a round, “watch o-” before the sound of two bullets interrupted her. Her bullet engraved itself into the unsub’s shoulder while one of his hit her vest, causing her to turn slightly, allowing the other to rip through her side. Emily let out a grunt of pain as she collapsed on the barn floor, the blood already beginning to pool around her and soaking her clothes.

After the first shot was fired, JJ had turned around but wasn’t able to do anything as she watched the scene unfold. As soon as the bullets had left the unsub’s gun and made their way towards Emily, the blonde fired off a single shot, hitting Jaxon in the center of his forehead. She heard footsteps pounding in their direction but didn’t pay them any attention as she turned towards the brunette who was lying on the floor.

Morgan and Reid rushed into the barn when they heard the sound of gunshots, not expecting the scene that was laid out. The young doctor ran towards the kids, holstering his weapon in an attempt to relax them a bit before embracing the two. He glanced over at the brunette, bile crawling up his throat because of fear, but he pushed it down and led the children outside.

JJ collapsed next to the older woman, reaching over and putting pressure on the wound as hot tears began to stream down her face, splashing the floor when they made contact. Emily covered the blonde’s hands with her own, looking at her tenderly before coughs racked her entire body, causing her breathing to become labored. JJ glanced down at her hands, fear gripping her heart like a vice when she saw the blood covering them completely. She looked up to see her favorite tearfilled chestnut eyes staring back at her, gauging her reaction.

Emily began to cough again but more forcefully, her breath becoming ragged as her eyes began to shut. JJ watched as the brunette’s eyes shut and her chest stopped rising. The blonde felt her heart drop and she cried out in despair, pulling up the older woman and holding her tightly to her chest as tears ran down. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder but didn’t care enough to see who it was.

Morgan laid his hand on JJ’s shoulder as he watched what happened, tears glistening in his eyes when he looked down at the brunette who was enveloped by the blonde. Paramedics rushed into the barn, most likely following the directions of Reid, and instantly ran towards Emily, attempting to pry her from JJ’s grasp. Morgan gripped her shoulder more forcefully, forcing her to release the older woman.

The paramedics loaded Emily up on a stretcher as JJ stood and leaped into Morgan’s open arms. She was sobbing violently into his chest, becoming more and more frantic as thoughts ran through her head. Morgan held her until Emily was rushed out of the room, keeping the young woman in his arms until her body stopped shaking and her cries became sniffles.

She pulled away from the embrace looking up at him, whispering, “it’s my fault. I didn’t notice him. What if she-” Morgan pulls her into another embrace, holding her tightly, “this is Emily we’re talking about. She’s gonna make it blondie.” Unnoticed by the younger woman, Derek’s voice shook slightly from the fear that he was wrong. The two agents broke apart and slowly made their way to the SUV, still in shock from the whole ordeal but rushed towards the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the support! I really hope you guys enjoy it. I love providing you guys with content that you like and your support means everything to me, so thank you again!


	2. Are You Real?

The team had arrived shortly after the paramedics took Emily in where she was immediately admitted into surgery. As the minutes ticked by, they became more restless, each member lost in their own world, thinking about the brunette in their own way. It seemed like hours before they saw any sign of a doctor or nurse. The team was in the waiting room when the surgeon walked out. Before she was even able to call out Emily’s name, everyone shot out of their seats, praying that their friend was ok.

JJ’s breath caught in her throat and she instantly paled when she saw the amount of blood that was on the doctor’s gown. The blonde felt the bile as it rose through her throat in fear of what could have happened. The doctor noticed JJ’s reaction and looked at her with empathy before turning towards the rest of the team, “I’m Dr. Williams. So I’m guessing you’re all here for Emily Prentiss, correct?” The team nodded their heads in unison, allowing the doctor to continue, “well she is out of surgery and I’m glad to say that it was successful.”

JJ let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding at the news. Her shoulders relaxed slightly from the tension before focusing her eyes on the doctor, willing her to give them more news. Dr. Williams continued, “she’s currently asleep and I’m not sure when she will wake, but it shouldn’t take long. Unfortunately, she will be in a lot of pain once she does wake up. I was forced to give her stitches for the wound which will restrict her from moving much or else they’ll rip out. I recommend that someone stays with her once she’s cleared, but ultimately, it is her choice.”

Hotch turned towards JJ, nodding slightly at the news, giving the blonde the go to stay with her until she’s healed if she did want someone to stay with her. Waiting for the team to figure out the situation of who would stay with the brunette, she wasn’t surprised when she realized that the young woman would be the one who would stay with Emily. The blonde sighed in relief, silently hoping that she would be the one that could stay with the older woman.

“Since she is resting, only one person can visit her at a time and I’ll allow one person to stay with her overnight as a precaution,” the doctor informed. The team nodded in understanding before taking their seats as Dr. Williams made her way back to the hallway. JJ walked up to Reid, gripping his shoulder lightly before whispering, “you can go in first Spence. I know you care about her.” He looked up at the blonde gratefully, standing and embracing her quickly before rushing to Emily’s room. JJ sat in her chair as she waited for her turn to talk to the older woman.

JJ had dozed off when she felt someone shake her shoulder slightly. She yawned as she rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of her grogginess before looking up at the person who woke her. Hotch was looking down at the young agent, his features as stoic as ever, but his eyes were full of sympathy for the woman in front of him. JJ shot up out of her seat, turning towards him as she glanced at the hallway that leads to the brunette’s room. Hotch nodded and motioned to the doors, causing JJ to break out into a sprint.

The blonde skidded to a halt in the doorway of the older woman’s room, peering in. JJ let out a gasp of shock as her eyes laid upon the pale and frail body of the brunette. Tears welled up in her eyes and her hand flew up to her face as she took in the ghastly appearance of the once vibrant woman. JJ cautiously stepped into the room in hopes of not disturbing the older woman. The blonde took a seat on the bed beside Emily as she began to tenderly trace the older woman’s features with the tip of her finger, ghosting over her lips.

The tears began to fall freely the longer JJ stared at the brunette.  _ I could have lost her. It’s my fault she’s here. If only I had paid attention. It’s all my fault. I did this. _ JJ lightly cupped the older woman’s cheek before leaning down and placing a soft kiss against her forehead, whispering, “please Em, wake up. I need you.” The blonde stood and took a seat in the chair next to the bed, leaning back as her hands seemed to play with themselves. The younger woman was staring at Emily, paying attention to her heartbeat as the exhaustion from the day hit the blonde, essentially forcing her to close her eyes and fall into a dreamless state of mind.

_ JJ had her back turned as she was helping the kids feel safe and letting them know that everything was okay so she didn’t see the male unsub creep out from behind the pillar, but Emily did. The brunette shouted out at the younger woman in an attempt to warn her but it was useless. She jumped in front of the blonde, attempting to shoot at the unsub in the process. The unsub got out two bullets before he was shot. Emily looked down at herself, shocked to see that she was unharmed. _

_ The sound of JJ croaking out her name caused her blood to run cold. The older woman turned towards the blonde, fear and despair gripping her heart in their iron claws as she saw blood pouring from JJ’s side. The younger woman promptly collapsed, barely giving Emily time to catch her before she hit the floor. Tears streaked down both women's cheeks, leaving a trail in their wake. Emily used one hand to put pressure on the wound and she used the other to cup the blonde’s cheek, tenderly rubbing her thumb against it. JJ placed one hand against the brunette’s, gripping her hand softly, leaning into the contact and she placed the other against the older woman’s chest, feeling the heartbeat that reverberated through. _

_ JJ peered into the honey brown eyes that she always gets lost in, her breathing becoming short and labored when she whispered, “I love you Em.” The younger woman’s hands became slack and her chest stopped rising. Her eyes glazed over and became unmoving, staring into nothing. Tears burned down the brunette’s face, her eyesight becoming blurry. Emily cried out, screaming the blonde’s name in desperation and gripping her hands tightly, hoping for some sign of life. _

JJ’s eyes snapped open to inspect the heart rate monitor that seemed to be speeding up every second. Worry gnawed at her insides and her eyes searched the brunette’s body for any sort of sign that she was ok. She was becoming frantic when suddenly, Emily shot up out of bed, clutching her chest in an attempt to slow down her heart. The brunette’s breathing seemed to be labored, causing pain to explode in her side.

The older woman cried out as she used one arm to wrap around her torso, touching the wound, grimacing as she made contact, the pain only building. JJ watched the scene unfold, her eyes softening and the frown on her face becoming more prominent, her heart shattering when she saw that the older woman was clearly in unbearable pain. The blonde reached up and grasped the brunette’s hand, pulling it away from the wound, squeezing it tenderly. Emily jumped in shock at the sudden contact before glancing down and seeing that it was the younger woman who made contact.

Emily let out a breath that was caught in her throat when she realized that her dream was simply that, a dream, and the blonde was unharmed. JJ notices the fear and then the relief that emerged in Emily’s eyes when she first made contact, her eyes silently questioning what made the brunette so scared. Emily began to stutter before deciding against saying anything. The blonde intertwined their fingers and placed a tender kiss against the back of Emily’s hand, pushing the brunette to talk to her, “it’s nothing Jayje. Don’t worry.” JJ stood up and perched herself on the older woman’s bed, placing their tangled hands in her lap, staring at Emily in disbelief.

Emily turned her attention to their hands before mumbling, “I had a dream that the unsub got to you and you didn’t make it. You died in my arms and there wasn’t anything I could do.” The blonde softened at the confession, tilting her head to make eye contact with the older woman before smiling softly, “I’m right here. It was just a dream.” Emily sighed before meeting the crystal blue eyes with her own, “it felt so real Jen. I thought I lost you.” JJ rubs her thumb along the calhoused knuckles and whispers, “you saved me Em. I’m right here. I promise,” her eyes shining with what seems to be love for the older woman in front of her.

Suddenly, a knock sounded from the door, causing the two women to break apart. JJ turned so she was facing the doorway when they saw Dr. Williams make her way inside and stop at the head of the bed. She picked up the clipboard, looking over all the information before turning towards the agents, “although you gave us quite a scare when you first came in, you seem to be recovering nicely. Are you ok with more visitors?”

Emily glanced over at the blonde next to her, squeezing her hand tenderly before turning back to the doctor, faintly nodding. Dr. Williams glanced down and double checked all the information on the clipboard before setting it down on the bed before she made her way outside and towards the waiting room. JJ turned to the older woman, “I can leave if you want priva-” Emily squeezed her hand softly, a soft smile breaking out on her face, “I want you right here Jayje.” JJ’s eyes twinkled with relief and she lit up with happiness at the confession.

The sound of someone padding towards the door broke the two out of their moment so they turned towards the entrance where they then saw Rebecca Miller enter the room. The mother of two had tears shining through her eyes, not of fear but of gratitude. She walked to the side of Emily’s bed and reached for the brunette’s free hand, squeezing it gratefully. The mother looked at both agents before beginning, “I just wanted to say thank you, both of you. You saved my kids and I don’t know how I could ever repay you and your team.”

The two agents spared a glance before turning towards the woman in front of them, JJ speaking up, “you don’t have to thank us Rebecca. We were just doing our job.” Emily sat up slowly, grimacing because of the pain she felt make its way through her side. The blonde immediately became concerned, turning towards the older woman and running her thumb along the knuckles of the pale hand. The brunette squeezed JJ’s hand in response letting her know that she was ok, even though her labored breathing said otherwise.

Emily turned towards Mrs. Miller, questioning, “how are the kids?” The mother smiled softly at the agent’s question before responding, “they’re ok. They’re obviously shaken up from the whole ordeal, but they’re ok. They’re getting better with time.” Emily nodded at the response, obviously relaxing a little when she heard the news. Rebecca reached over and grabbed JJ’s hand as well, squeezing both lightly in gratitude before turning and making her way out of the room.

Not long after she left, the team made their way inside. Not wanting to lose the contact she had with the brunette, JJ squeezed Emily’s hand tightly and used her other to rest on the top of the older woman’s, making sure to let Emily know that she wasn’t going anywhere. As Hotch stood by the bed, his eyes shifted to their hands for a split second before making eye contact with the two, “Dr. Williams informed us that you can go home after a week of surveillance if everything seems to check out. She recommends that you have someone go home with you, but she said that it ultimately is your choice. But you can’t go into the field for about two to three months Prentiss. You’ll be staying with Garcia for the time being.”

Emily’s shoulders sagged slightly with the news, turning towards the man in front of her, “yea I figured. But I don’t need anyone to watch over me when I go home.” JJ’s mouth dropped open in disbelief, but before she could say anything, Hotch simply nodded, letting the brunette know that he understood her choice. The topic was then dropped before the blonde could argue her case.

The rest of the team surrounded the bed, each wanting to check up on the older woman. They spent the day there before they were forced to leave, JJ once again staying the night. It was like that every day for the next two weeks, JJ only leaving when she was forced to go to the hotel, shower, change and get some food into her system, but she never spent a night away from the brunette.

It was finally time for the team to go home. Although Emily’s wound hadn’t completely healed, she refused to spend another second in the hospital, putting up a fight every time someone tried to recommend it. Although she didn’t want to, she was forced into a wheelchair until she got out of the building. The team made their way to the jet, each member collapsing onto a seat from sheer exhaustion from the whole ordeal. The flight was almost entirely silent except from the occasional conversation between JJ and Emily, the blonde checking up on the older woman every now and then. It was dark when the jet landed. The team made their way to the SUVs so they could head home for the night.

Penelope was waiting in the parking lot for the team to arrive and when they finally did, she couldn’t help but rush over to the brunette who seemed to be in pain from the walk to the cars. Tears began falling down Penelope’s face and her voice shook, “oh sweet cheeks, don’t ever scare me like that ever again or I swear I’ll ruin your credit score and you’ll be forced to change your name and move out of the state just to survive.” Emily let out a bark of laughter, groaning as the pain hit before she embraced the tech analyst, “I’m ok PG. It’s just a scratch.”

JJ scoffed at the brunette’s reply, causing Penelope to swat her arm lightly, a smile tugging her lips, “as long as you’re ok, I don’t care what you call it.” Emily’s face broke out into a grin, “well you’ll be seeing me a lot more now for the next couple months.” The bubbly woman jumped joyously and let out a laugh, “yes! We are going to have so much fun!” JJ chuckled as she watched her two friends before she intervened, “as much as I hate to break this up, we all have to get home and rest before work tomorrow.” Penelope nodded before embracing the two women, holding onto the brunette just a little tighter. The three split apart and made their way to their respective cars, getting ready to head home for the night.

Emily followed JJ because she was in no shape to drive so the blonde offered to drive her home. The team members all said their goodbyes for the day before heading out, the brunette getting into the passenger seat while the younger woman jumped into the driver’s side. The ride to Emily’s condo was silent except for the soft music playing in the background, each woman too engrossed in their own thoughts about each other and what happened to be able to have a conversation.

After a short drive, the blonde parked the SUV and turned towards Emily, silently pleading that she could stay the night. The older woman smiled tenderly at JJ, slowly reaching out and squeezing her knee softly in response, letting her know that she was going to be ok by herself. The brunette made her way out of the car and limped towards the building entrance, gripping her side tightly from the pain. JJ watched her walk the whole way there, never taking her eyes off the older woman in fear of losing her. After the door closed once Emily made her way inside, the blonde took a moment before she started the car up yet once again and began making her way home, the older woman occupying every thought that made its way into her head the entire drive there.

A resounding knock rang throughout the condo. Emily grunted in annoyance, shifting further into her covers, unable to sleep because every time she closed her eyes, images of JJ dying in her arms plagued her mind.  _ I’m already having a hard time sleeping. Who the fuck is knocking on my door right now? _ After a moment of silence, the knocking became more frantic causing Sergio to leap from the bed and pad towards the living room. Emily shot up, grumbling when pain exploded through her side as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. She crawled out of bed to go murder whoever woke her up.

The brunette spared a glance at the alarm clock, her frustration building when she noticed that it was almost four in the morning. As she slowly made her way to the front door, the knocking became louder before it abruptly stopped. Before pulling open the door, Emily heard what seemed to be a thud followed by a scraping sound. Realizing that she could be in danger, the older woman turned to grab her gun that was in her safe, but before she could move, the sound of a woman quietly sobbing got her attention.

Emily rushed towards the front door as fast as her injury would let her, pulling it open a crack, her curiosity getting the best of her.  _ Jennifer? _ The brunette’s brows drew together in concern as she tugged the door open the rest of the way, her anger dissipating completely. Her eyes settled on the blonde who was sitting against the wall, knees hugged against her chest and tears streaming down her cheeks, leaving a trail in their wake.

JJ’s body seemed to be racked with sobs, each one stronger than the last. Emily stared into the glistening ocean blue eyes she’s always loved as she slid down the wall next to the smaller woman, gently resting her palm against JJ’s shoulder. “Jayje, what’s wrong? It’s four in the morning,” Emily questioned with worry latching onto her voice and concern twisting her features.

Unable to form a coherent sentence, JJ crawled onto the older woman’s lap, wrapping her arms around Emily’s torso, making sure to not put pressure on the injury and burying her face in the crook of the older woman’s neck. Emily wrapped her arms protectively around the blonde, using one hand to cup the back of JJ’s head while whispering sweet nothings into the blonde hair in an attempt to relax the younger woman. Not caring that they were in the middle of the hallway, the two stayed in that position until JJ’s breathing seemed to even out and the tears subsided. “I had to make sure you were really here. When I got home I got scared that you weren’t here and it was just a dream,” JJ whispered, clinging on tightly to the older woman.

As she placed a soft kiss on JJ’s head, Emily promised, “I’m right here Jen. I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here” She then gently lifted the blonde, grunting in effort because of her injury but still holding her tightly and walked into her condo. The brunette shut the door with her foot before walking over to the couch, placing the smaller woman onto her lap, hugging her soundly against her chest as she ran her fingers through the blonde hair.

After her head cleared up a bit, JJ pulled back a bit before her eyes widened, “oh my god, I’m sorry Em. I didn’t realize how late it was. Your injury!” Emily cupped the younger woman’s cheek, wiping away the remaining tears before smiling softly, “you don’t have to apologize Jayje. I’m ok. I promise. But what’s wrong?” JJ closed her eyes, pressing further into the brunette’s palm, seeking as much contact as she could get before mumbling, “I had to make sure you were ok. I was thinking about what happened and when I thought I lost you, I lost it. I’m sorry.”

The older woman’s gaze softened at the confession that slipped past the blonde’s lips, her heart swelling with affection. Emily pulled the smaller woman closer, hugging her tightly as she placed a soft kiss on JJ’s head while drawing imaginary circles on the blonde’s back. The younger woman murmured something that wasn’t coherent to the older woman because her head was buried in the crook of the brunette’s neck. Emily’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as she rested her chin on the blonde’s head, “what was that Jen?”

After some hesitation, JJ decided to tell the brunette how she felt because the thought of losing Emily before being able to tell her the truth killed the blonde inside. She pulled back slightly, meeting the amber brown eyes that were staring at her in concern, “I love you Em. I couldn’t wait to tell you any longer because if something happened to either of us and you didn’t know how I felt about you, I don’t know what I’d do.”

Emily froze upon hearing the confession, not expecting that to come out of the younger woman’s mouth. Once the overall shock wore off, the brunette tangled her hands in the blonde hair, meeting the younger woman in a heated kiss. JJ gasped from the sudden contact causing the older woman to pull away slightly before the blonde pulled her back by wrapping her arms around Emily’s neck. JJ kissed her feverishly, attempting to memorize how the brunette’s lips felt against her own. One of Emily’s hands trailed down, gripping the blonde’s hip as her other hand slid down to cup JJ’s cheek.

Emily pulled away when pain shot up her side, slightly out of breath as she ran her thumb along the now swollen lips of the younger woman, she whispered, “I love you too Jayje. I always have.” The blonde was overcome with affection for the woman under her. She leaned forward and placed a light kiss against the chapped lips of the older woman, attempting to convey her feelings without words.

The younger woman then got up and strolled over to the cabinet which held the blankets. She grabbed the biggest one she could find and made her way over to Emily, who was waiting for her. The blonde then sat on the couch and snuggled into the brunette’s uninjured side. She threw the blanket over them as they tangled their legs together, each one desperate for more contact.

JJ laid one arm across the older woman’s torso, her fingers lightly brushing around the bullet wound, careful to not actually touch it. She laid her head on Emily’s chest, listening to her heartbeat, reassuring herself that the brunette was really there. Emily used one hand to wrap around the blonde, running her fingers along JJ’s spine as her other hand danced through the blonde hair. JJ hummed in satisfaction when she felt the smooth movements through her hair, a smile tugging at her lips as she began to fall asleep. Emily closed her eyes with contempt because the woman she’s loved for so long was now in her arms. The brunette succumbed to her exhaustion, sleep coming easily this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this story isn’t as long as I would like it to be, but I hope you guys enjoy what I have, thank you everyone!


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